Hybrid advertising broadcast method
First Claim
1. A system for the reception and selected viewing of program information by a user, said system comprising:
- a television input port operable to receive a plurality of broadcast television programs including an abbreviated program;
a user input port operable to receive signals from a user input device and including a user interface;
an input/output interface operable to transmit programs to a television for viewing; and
a processing unit operably coupled to said television input port, said user input port and said input/output interface, wherein in response to manipulation of said user input device during the viewing of the abbreviated program received via a broadcast television channel, the processing unit will cause an extended program of the one or more extended programs that corresponds to the abbreviated program to be transmitted to said television.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and structure for distributing hybrid advertisements, audio programming, video programming or other programming types. A set-top box is provided with two communications links, one for receiving conventional television programs including short duration advertisements and one for receiving corresponding extended length advertisements from a service provider. After viewing an abbreviated advertisement, a viewer of the system may indicate a desire to view an extended length advertisement corresponding to the abbreviated advertisement and the system will display the requested extended length advertisement for viewing by the viewer.
122 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A system for the reception and selected viewing of program information by a user, said system comprising:
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a television input port operable to receive a plurality of broadcast television programs including an abbreviated program;
a user input port operable to receive signals from a user input device and including a user interface;
an input/output interface operable to transmit programs to a television for viewing; and
a processing unit operably coupled to said television input port, said user input port and said input/output interface, wherein in response to manipulation of said user input device during the viewing of the abbreviated program received via a broadcast television channel, the processing unit will cause an extended program of the one or more extended programs that corresponds to the abbreviated program to be transmitted to said television. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for the distribution of video programs to television viewers, said system comprising:
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a first storage means for storing programs;
a communications link; and
a media server, operatively connected to said first storage means and to said communications link;
wherein in response to a request from a viewer of the television viewers, one or more extended programs are transmitted by said media server from the first storage means to the television viewer via said communications link. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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18. A method for a service provider to distribute extended programs to a television viewer, said method comprising:
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providing an abbreviated program to be transmitted to the viewer via a television broadcast medium to a set-top box and displayed to the viewer on an audio visual display unit;
transmitting an extended program, corresponding to said abbreviated program, from said service provider to said set-top box via a communications link;
wherein the viewer may respond to said abbreviated program via said set-top box and request that the extended program be transmitted to said audio visual display unit for viewing.
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26. A system for distributing hybrid programming to a television viewer, said system comprising:
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a first transmission means for transmitting one or more abbreviated programs of said hybrid programming over a television broadcast medium;
a second transmission means for transmitting one or more extended length programs of said hybrid programming, corresponding to said one or more abbreviated programs, over a first communications link; and
a set-top box operably coupled to said television broadcast medium and to said first communications link and configured to transmit selected programs to a visual display unit for viewing by the television viewer.
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32. A method to provide a television viewer with programming that may be selectively accessed by the viewer for extended viewing, comprising:
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a service provider providing one or more abbreviated programs to a user interface;
the user interface causing the one or more abbreviated programs to be displayed on a visual display unit; and
in response to a request by the television viewer to view an extended length program, corresponding to a selected abbreviated program of the one or more abbreviated programs, displaying the extended length program on the visual display unit. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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36. An electronic storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process for a service provider to distribute extended programs to a television viewer, said method comprising:
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providing an abbreviated program to be transmitted to the viewer via a television broadcast medium to a set-top box and displayed to the viewer on an audio visual display unit;
transmitting an extended program, corresponding to said abbreviated program, from said service provider to said set-top box via a communications link;
wherein the viewer may respond to said abbreviated program via said set-top box and request that the extended program be transmitted to said audio visual display unit for viewing.
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Specification